Abstract:
The performance of Senior High School students in social studies in West African Secondary
School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has become a source of worry to stakeholders
particularly parents in recent years. Social studies is a core subject that a candidate need to
pass by (obtaining grades between A1-C6) before gaining admission into most postsecondary
schools in Ghana. The study therefore concerned itself with the influence of
Social Studies teachers’ exposure to post-qualification professional development on the
performance of Senior High School students in social studies in the Central region of Ghana.
The purpose of the study was to find out if social studies teachers’ exposure and nonexposure
to post-qualification professional development had any influence on the
performance of Senior High School students in social studies.
A descriptive survey design was used which involved 75 social studies teachers and 2,253
Senior High School 2 students in 25 schools across the Central region of Ghana as the
population for the study. Two researcher designed instruments (Teacher Demographic Data
and Variables Questionnaire (TDDVQ) and Performance Test in Social Studies (PTISS))
were used in data collection. Data was analysed with the aid of frequency counts and
percentages and t-test statistical techniques. The results showed that students who were
taught by teachers exposed to post-qualification professional development performed
significantly better than students whose teachers were not exposed to any post-qualification
professional development. Based on the finding and conclusion, it is therefore suggested
that regular and relevant post-qualification professional development programmes should
be organised for social studies teachers.
